The use of liquid metals in various electrical or electromechanical devices is known. Larger devices using liquid metals include relays (e.g. mercury relays) and switches. Small LM drops are also known for their use in micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) devices, for example for RF and other switching and cooling devices. Such small LM drops are inserted (i.e. “injected”) into the respective devices in liquid form. The incorporation of LM components into microelectronic or MEMS devices would benefit from use of processes and tools already in use in these technologies, for example various thin film formation technologies and tools. Microelectronics and MEMS thin film formation (e.g. by deposition) results in solid films. There is therefore a need for, and it would be advantageous to have methods for forming small and even ultra-small (on the scale of microelectronic devices) LM drops which are compatible with known microelectronics and MEMS technologies.